Last word on Communion in the hand

In your current issue (April I I) Mr Peter Hart writes: "In recent years several countries, including France and Belgium, applied for the restoration of Communion in the hand, and permission was granted by the Holy See."
Thinking it would be of interest to many, I have attempted to identify the "several countries" by working throuah all the issues of Notitiae since 1969 when Memorial& Domini was promulgated. This periodical of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship gives the protocol numbers of all General Decrees, of whatever nature, which are granted to hierarchies throughout the world. I have weeded out those granted to hierarchies asking for permission to allow their faithful. to receive Communion in the hand if they so desire. Ilere is the list, in which the last two digits indicate the year of concession:
Belgium 117/69 France 309/69 Germany. 311/69 Holland 1070/69 Chad 984/69 Luxemburg 1242/69 Scandinavia 1140/69 North Africa 1099/69 Bolivia 1251/69 Uruguay 1250/69 Monaco 1529/69 South Africa 1207/70 Austria 711/70 Canada 503/70 Somaliland 1137/70 Jamaica 1284/70 Japan 2286/70
Nigeria and Upper Volta 9/71.
Indonesia 342/71 Paraguay 1663/71 Rhodesia 1580/71 Madagascar 196/72
Mozambique 1212/72
Panama 745/73
Chile 746/73
Angola 1272/73 Costa Rica 1251/73 Korea 1913/73 New Zealand 1450/74 Zambia 1090/74 The date of Zambia's permis
sion is March 11. 1974, more than a year ago. Very probably others have been granted since then, but not yet published in Notitiae, I was surprised to find no protocol number and date for Switzerland, for I was under the impression that Communion in the hand was permitted there. But at least it is certa:in that the thirty hierarchies in the above list have all decided, by a majority of at least two thirds, that their people should he free to choose whether to receive Communion in the mouth or in the hand.
Italy is not in that list because in that country more than half but less than two thirds of the bishops are in favour, and hence they have not asked for the permission. I am told that the same is true for our own country. So we must continue to wait.
Notitiae No 4/1, of 1969 sets forth certain conditions under which freedom of choice is granted. They include (1) Adequate catechesis. (2)The choice between mouth and hand rests with the individual communicant, not with the priest. No priest may insist on one method to the exclusion of the other. (3) The communicant who chooses to receive in the hand must transfer the host to his mouth at once, not on his his way back to, or after reaching, his place in the nave.
Clifford Howell, SJ 10. Albert Road.
Harborne, Birmingham, 17.